Just three interstellar objects have ever been detected in our Solar System, each arriving from the depths of interstellar space. In this episode, we explore the latest: 3I/ATLAS, a newly discovered interstellar comet first spotted on July 1, 2025.

Bryce Bolin, research scientist at Eureka Scientific, joins host Sarah Al-Ahmed to share what makes this object special. As one of the few astronomers who has studied all three known interstellar objects—1I/ʻOumuamua, 2I/Borisov, and now 3I/ATLAS—he offers unique insight into how these rare visitors expand our understanding of planetary systems beyond our own.

We also check in with Bruce Betts, chief scientist of The Planetary Society, for a look at the upcoming ESA and JAXA’s Comet Interceptor mission, which may one day chase down a future interstellar comet.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-3i-atlas

Just three interstellar objects have ever been detected in our Solar System, each arriving from the depths of interstellar space. In this episode, we explore the latest: 3I/ATLAS, a newly discovered interstellar comet first spotted on July 1, 2025.
Bryce Bolin, research scientist at Eureka Scientific, joins host Sarah Al-Ahmed to share what makes this object special. As one of the few astronomers who has studied all three known interstellar objects&mdash;1I/ʻOumuamua, 2I/Borisov, and now 3I/ATLAS&mdash;he offers unique insight into how these rare visitors expand our understanding of planetary systems beyond our own.
We also check in with Bruce Betts, chief scientist of The Planetary Society, for a look at the upcoming ESA and JAXA&rsquo;s Comet Interceptor mission, which may one day chase down a future interstellar comet.
Discover more at: <a href="https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-3i-atlas">https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-3i-atlas</a>

Planetary Radio brings you the human adventure across our Solar System and beyond. We visit each week with the scientists, engineers, leaders, advocates, and astronauts who are taking us across the final frontier. Regular features raise your space IQ while they put a smile on your face. Join host Sarah Al-Ahmed and Planetary Society colleagues including Bill Nye the Science Guy and Bruce Betts as they dive deep into space science and exploration. The monthly Space Policy Edition takes you inside the DC beltway where the future of the US space program hangs in the balance. Visit planetary.org/radio for an episode guide and much more.

Planetary Radio brings you the human adventure across our Solar System and beyond. We visit each week with the scientists, engineers, leaders, advocates, and astronauts who are taking us across the final frontier. Regular features raise your space IQ while they put a smile on your face. Join host Sarah Al-Ahmed and Planetary Society colleagues including Bill Nye the Science Guy and Bruce Betts as they dive deep into space science and exploration. The monthly Space Policy Edition takes you inside the DC beltway where the future of the US space program hangs in the balance. Visit planetary.org/radio for an episode guide and much more.

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science

Planetary Radio brings you the human adventure across our solar system and beyond. We visit each week with the scientists, engineers, leaders, advocates, and astronauts taking us across the final frontier. Regular features raise your space IQ while they put a smile on your face. Join host Sarah Al-Ahmed and Planetary Society colleagues including Bill Nye, the Science Guy, and Bruce Betts, chief scientist for The Planetary Society, as they dive deep into the latest space news. The monthly Space Policy Edition takes you inside the DC beltway with Casey Dreier and Jack Kiraly to discuss the politics of space exploration in the US and advocacy actions you can take to support the missions that matter. Visit planetary.org/radio for the space trivia contest, an episode guide, and much more.

Planetary Radio brings you the human adventure across our solar system and beyond. We visit each week with the scientists, engineers, leaders, advocates, and astronauts taking us across the final frontier. Regular features raise your space IQ while they put a smile on your face. Join host Sarah Al-Ahmed and Planetary Society colleagues including Bill Nye, the Science Guy, and Bruce Betts, chief scientist for The Planetary Society, as they dive deep into the latest space news. The monthly Space Policy Edition takes you inside the DC beltway with Casey Dreier and Jack Kiraly to discuss the politics of space exploration in the US and advocacy actions you can take to support the missions that matter. Visit planetary.org/radio for the space trivia contest, an episode guide, and much more.

Astronomers have discovered a new interstellar comet, 3I/ATLAS, the third object ever seen entering our Solar System from another star. We speak with Bryce Bolin, research scientist at Eureka Scientific, about what makes this visitor unique and what it can teach us about other worlds.

3I/ATLAS: The third interstellar object ever found

Thirty years ago, NASA’s Galileo spacecraft became the first mission to orbit Jupiter, opening a new chapter in our exploration of the outer Solar System. Over eight years around Jupiter, Galileo transformed how we understand Jupiter and its moons, revealing a powerful and dynamic planetary system, uncovering evidence for oceans hidden beneath icy worlds, and reshaping the search for life beyond Earth.

To mark the 30th anniversary of Galileo’s orbital insertion, scientists, engineers, historians, and advocates gathered at the California Institute of Technology for a special symposium: Galileo at 30. In this episode of Planetary Radio, host Sarah Al-Ahmed takes you inside that celebration. You’ll hear how Galileo survived seemingly impossible challenges, how its team adapted when things went wrong, and how its discoveries reshaped planetary science.

You’ll hear from key voices in Galileo’s story, including historian Erik Conway, project manager Bill O’Neil, magnetometer principal investigator Margaret Kivelson, Europa Clipper Project Scientist Bob Pappalardo, and Dragonfly mission Principal Investigator Elizabeth “Zibi” Turtle, along with reflections from many others whose lives and careers were shaped by this remarkable mission.

Together, they tell the story of Galileo not just as a spacecraft, but as a shared human effort, one whose legacy continues to guide exploration today.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-galileo-at-30

Thirty years ago, NASA&rsquo;s Galileo spacecraft became the first mission to orbit Jupiter, opening a new chapter in our exploration of the outer Solar System. Over eight years around Jupiter, Galileo transformed how we understand Jupiter and its moons, revealing a powerful and dynamic planetary system, uncovering evidence for oceans hidden beneath icy worlds, and reshaping the search for life beyond Earth.
To mark the 30th anniversary of Galileo&rsquo;s orbital insertion, scientists, engineers, historians, and advocates gathered at the California Institute of Technology for a special symposium: Galileo at 30. In this episode of Planetary Radio, host Sarah Al-Ahmed takes you inside that celebration. You&rsquo;ll hear how Galileo survived seemingly impossible challenges, how its team adapted when things went wrong, and how its discoveries reshaped planetary science.
You&rsquo;ll hear from key voices in Galileo&rsquo;s story, including historian Erik Conway, project manager Bill O&rsquo;Neil, magnetometer principal investigator Margaret Kivelson, Europa Clipper Project Scientist Bob Pappalardo, and Dragonfly mission Principal Investigator Elizabeth &ldquo;Zibi&rdquo; Turtle, along with reflections from many others whose lives and careers were shaped by this remarkable mission.
Together, they tell the story of Galileo not just as a spacecraft, but as a shared human effort, one whose legacy continues to guide exploration today.
Discover more at: <a href="https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-galileo-at-30">https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-galileo-at-30</a>

Thirty years after NASA’s Galileo spacecraft became the first to orbit Jupiter, scientists and engineers gathered to reflect on the mission that transformed how we see the giant planet and its moons. 

Galileo at 30: How a mission transformed our understanding of Jupiter

Why do we explore space, and why does science matter in the first place?

In this Space Policy Edition rerun, Planetary Society Chief of Space Policy Casey Dreier revisits a deeply influential 2020 conversation with philosopher and ethicist J. S. Johnson-Schwartz, author of The Value of Science and Space Exploration. As debates over NASA’s budget and the future of space science continue to resurface, this conversation remains strikingly relevant.

Dr. Johnson Schwartz makes a compelling philosophical case that science itself is not merely useful or beneficial, but a moral obligation. Beyond economic returns, technological spinoffs, or national prestige, the pursuit of knowledge has intrinsic value, and public space agencies play a critical role in representing that shared human interest.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/the-moral-case-for-space

Why do we explore space, and why does science matter in the first place?
In this Space Policy Edition rerun, Planetary Society Chief of Space Policy Casey Dreier revisits a deeply influential 2020 conversation with philosopher and ethicist J. S. Johnson-Schwartz, author of The Value of Science and Space Exploration. As debates over NASA&rsquo;s budget and the future of space science continue to resurface, this conversation remains strikingly relevant.
Dr. Johnson Schwartz makes a compelling philosophical case that science itself is not merely useful or beneficial, but a moral obligation. Beyond economic returns, technological spinoffs, or national prestige, the pursuit of knowledge has intrinsic value, and public space agencies play a critical role in representing that shared human interest.
Discover more at: <a href="https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/the-moral-case-for-space">https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/the-moral-case-for-space</a>

Why do we explore space? In this Space Policy Edition rerun, Casey Dreier speaks with philosopher Dr. J. S. Johnson-Schwartz about why space science is a moral obligation, beyond economics or prestige.

Space Policy Edition: The Moral Case for Space Science

The 2025 International Mars Society Convention convened at the University of Southern California this October for three days of passionate discussion about humanity’s future on the red planet. Speakers explored science, policy, technology, AI, synthetic biology, and the long-term path toward becoming a multi-planet species.

In this episode, Mat Kaplan, senior communications adviser at The Planetary Society, shares his conversations with speakers and guests at the Convention. We hear from Robert Zubrin, founder of The Mars Society, who delivered a fiery call to protect NASA’s science programs in the face of unprecedented budget cuts. Humphrey “Hoppy” Price, Chief Engineer for NASA’s Robotic Mars Exploration Program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, updates us on the future of Mars Sample Return and new mission architectures. Keynote speaker Dex Hunter-Torricke, a longtime communications leader for SpaceX, Meta, and other major tech organizations, reflects on AI’s promise and peril, and why Mars remains a beacon of hope for humanity’s future.

Biologist and technologist Tiffany Vora, vice president for innovation partnerships at Explore Mars, and Erika DeBenedictis, biologist and founder of Pioneer Labs, reveal breakthroughs in synthetic biology and engineered microbes that could help future Martians survive. Steve Benner, chemist and founder of the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution (FfAME), revisits the Viking lander experiments and makes a provocative case that we may have found Martian life nearly 50 years ago.

Architect Melodie Yashar, CEO of AENARA and a pioneer in 3D-printed habitat research, shares progress in additive construction on Earth and Mars. James Burk, executive director of The Mars Society, discusses advocacy, analog research stations, and the organization’s expanding international footprint.

Finally, we meet Sasha, a 13-year-old presenter whose enthusiasm offers a bright glimpse of the next generation of explorers.

We wrap up the show with What’s Up with Bruce Betts, chief scientist at The Planetary Society, with a discussion of perchlorates in the Martian soil.


Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-mars-society-convention

The 2025 International Mars Society Convention convened at the University of Southern California this October for three days of passionate discussion about humanity&rsquo;s future on the red planet. Speakers explored science, policy, technology, AI, synthetic biology, and the long-term path toward becoming a multi-planet species.
In this episode, Mat Kaplan, senior communications adviser at The Planetary Society, shares his conversations with speakers and guests at the Convention. We hear from Robert Zubrin, founder of The Mars Society, who delivered a fiery call to protect NASA&rsquo;s science programs in the face of unprecedented budget cuts. Humphrey &ldquo;Hoppy&rdquo; Price, Chief Engineer for NASA&rsquo;s Robotic Mars Exploration Program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, updates us on the future of Mars Sample Return and new mission architectures. Keynote speaker Dex Hunter-Torricke, a longtime communications leader for SpaceX, Meta, and other major tech organizations, reflects on AI&rsquo;s promise and peril, and why Mars remains a beacon of hope for humanity&rsquo;s future.
Biologist and technologist Tiffany Vora, vice president for innovation partnerships at Explore Mars, and Erika DeBenedictis, biologist and founder of Pioneer Labs, reveal breakthroughs in synthetic biology and engineered microbes that could help future Martians survive. Steve Benner, chemist and founder of the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution (FfAME), revisits the Viking lander experiments and makes a provocative case that we may have found Martian life nearly 50 years ago.
Architect Melodie Yashar, CEO of AENARA and a pioneer in 3D-printed habitat research, shares progress in additive construction on Earth and Mars. James Burk, executive director of The Mars Society, discusses advocacy, analog research stations, and the organization&rsquo;s expanding international footprint.
Finally, we meet Sasha, a 13-year-old presenter whose enthusiasm offers a bright glimpse of the next generation of explorers.
We wrap up the show with What&rsquo;s Up with Bruce Betts, chief scientist at The Planetary Society, with a discussion of perchlorates in the Martian soil.
 Discover more at: <a href="https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-mars-society-conference">https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-mars-society-convention</a>

Mat Kaplan brings us to USC for the 2025 Mars Society Convention, where leaders in science, engineering, AI, biology, architecture, and advocacy share bold visions for humanity’s future on Mars. 

3I/ATLAS: The third interstellar object ever found

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